Sunday, June 21, 2015

MEST 2.0 Updates

Update! Update! Update!

I'm getting more time to myself again, and so I've been picking up on editing the draft MEST version 2.0 rules. It's been something like 8 months since I started this phase and about 4 months since I've had anytime to regard it in detail. However, because I'm getting a fresh start I'm able to see a lot more places where I can clarify the rules, reorganize them, or streamline them.

So here's what's been up with the rules:

Table of Contents added.

Introduction and Overview section added describing what MEST does and why its a cool game system.

A "Learning the Game" section has been added to foster a kind of "programmed instruction" feature. Once the version 2.0 rules get stable, I'll create a subset of this part of the full rules as a Quick Start Rules which will be handy for convention plays as well.

I added a simple paragraph on "running and jumping"; I figured I had to do it. I stopped short of allowing characters to jump and shoot mid-air. Maybe that will be a trait once I get into the more acrobatic "Spy/Ninja" genres.

I flip-flopped on the Group Leader and how it may perform Individual Actions. I didn't allow this before but I think it is necessary, otherwise it won't be compelling nor thematic.

Added a section on "Performing Movement" just to make this critical game feature clear. It probably still needs some work.

I got Aggro's blessing to add a "Defend" bonus for Close Combat Defenders. I needed to add limits on it but it works wonderfully.

I discovered that Fight X is over-powered and so I added some limits.

I've created a section describing how missions will be presented so that I can easily add more in the future.

There are now five "Introductory Missions" and six "Standard Missions". I'm still finalizing the last two which are "Area Control" and "Escape!".

I finally got the nerve to make entries for "Additional Materials" and brought in the Resource Cards and the Tactics Cards rules. I'm still in progress with updating those cards to the version 2.0 context but its only a matter of time...

Glossary of Terms added. This is ported from the version 1.5 rules and I'll need to adjust the descriptions since I'm sure some of the contexts have changed.

The draft version has no illustrations, photos, or diagrams. The full-color version will but I'm already thinking that I want more than what I have in the current 1.5x document; perhaps double the count so that every critical rule has a good visual demonstration of it.